The Trinity Phenomenon
by An Earth Without Maps
Summary: Linus Faye, 22, wanted nothing more than to leave his hometown and become a baseball pro. Plan B was to study, maybe even go to California for a semester and just enjoy life without responsibilites. But everything changes when a meteorite crashes into Amarillo Hill's laboratory... -Update: map enclosed in the prologue.-
1. Prologue

Prologue

In the Pokémon world there is a so-called 'Trinity phenomenon'. It states that the number three is an important one when it comes to trainers and creatures. It's no mistake that trainers choose to battle six versus six Pokémon in their tournaments, since six is a multitude of three. Neither did it happen by chance that the strongest and most intimate bonds are formed between trainers and Pokémon that have evolved to a third form.

Three is a special number in the Pokémon world. It represents unity and wholeness, an on-going circle. Three elements will cancel each other out: fire burns plant, but plant leeches off water, and yet water extinguishes fire. Knowingly or not, there will always be a trinity of trainers that will find each other, that will cross paths eventually, with one cancelling the other out, but being cancelled out by the third. They will walk side by side with Pokémon like Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon, or Pidgeot, Machamp and Golem – all Pokémon, that will cancel each other out by their types, but will fail to the third. Trainers like these will find each other, battle each other and leave marks on each other's bodies and minds.

This is a story about three people who were all connected by their fates and the creatures they would choose to travel with.

* * *

**Author's Note**: This story contains only original characters as well as the first generation of Pokémon.

Below you find a map of Iro, an island off the West coast of the US, where the story takes place. Put the following file code at the end of the address "i. imgur. com". When entering it into your address bar, be sure to erase all of the spaces.

/UVhjJ3f . jpg

Or in colour: /uFRnWaq . jpg

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 1: Endings and beginnings

**Chapter 1: The very beginning**

- Linus -

He awoke with a start, his heart beating frantically and drops of sweat running down from his temples. Something was off, very much so, but he could not say what it was. He held the breath that had been coming erratically from his mouth and listened, but all he heard was the silence that always enclosed Amarillo Hill by night. He had loved his hometown and its calm and breezy nights for as long as he could remember, just like the yellowish hills the farmers grew their corn on which had given the town its name, and the quirky but lovable people who lived there.

He felt the calm of fatigue wash over him, but just as he was about to lay back and drift off to sleep again, a deafening bang made him sit up straight and utter a shriek of surprise and terror. He swung back his blanket and ran to the window to look outside, almost tripping over his baseball bat. It only took him a moment to focus after pulling aside his curtains, since his family's home looked directly onto the scene of what could only be an accident. Two great holes, almost consuming half of the entire structure, gaped from the laboratory on the other side of the street. Roof tiles lay shattered on the asphalt, next to bricks and beams that had held most of the roof's weight.

As Linus' eyes climbed up the battered walls, a terrible realization dawned on him. With so much of the supporting structure gone, the laboratory would not stand in one piece for much longer. His heart seemed to drop down into his stomach, when another realization hit him. The building would collapse, crushing anyone and anything inside beneath it. He ran outside as if the devil was chasing him, never thinking of putting on shoes or a jacket, screaming for help, and then screaming for Professor Carob.

* * *

Everybody in Amarillo Hill knew that Professor Sebastian Carob spent most of his nights in the office of his laboratory. He was a liked and respected man, even by those who were not as fond of Pokémon as he was. Linus, who had made it clear that he was not interested in becoming a trainer and travelling the world with the animal-like creatures, since he felt it was too much of a responsibility, had had inspiring talks with the professor, who had always told him that he would make a great partner for a Pokémon, but had never pushed him to catch one. Linus had not known how much he had respected that trait in the man.

Standing by the professor's freshly dug grave, he could not stop the words from running through his head. The calm, friendly voice rang in his ears, telling him about his own travels, saying that it was an important part of growing up. Telling him that he had felt just like Linus did, never wanting the responsibility, and then one day having it thrust upon him and having to accept it.

Linus blinked back tears when Anna Carob, the professor's ten-year-old daughter, threw a shovel of earth and dirt onto the casket. She was an orphan now, having lost her mother at birth and since then living with her father, who had never remarried. Now she did not even have him. Linus felt his heart clench painfully at the thought of how Anna had to feel. She was just a child. How could she understand this whole situation? How would she fare? He felt like he owed it to Carob to take care of her, but he knew that was not what the professor would have wanted. Anna would find a lot of willing, loving and most of all capable foster parents in Amarillo Hill. Everybody loved the bright young girl. She would live with Carob's neighbours, or with Vera's family, since Vera was pretty much like an older sister to her, having babysat her since she had been sixteen.

The professor had told him time and time again to take one of his friends with him and leave the small town. He had told him to travel the world and be defined be the experiences he would have instead of by the people who had never seen anything but the hills of their own region. He had told him to live and love and look for the things he wanted, and when Linus had asked why he had settled down in a small town like Amarillo Hills then, the professor had smiled and said that he had already found what he had been looking for. Then, as if on schedule the lab door had opened and Anna had run in, followed by a mildly smiling Vera, telling her to slow down.

Linus studied the little girl's face, which looked stern and determined. Maybe she had not realized the depth of the situation yet. But even if she hadn't, for some reason he felt that she would be alright. She would hurt, and she would miss her father, but she would grow up well. Linus has never thought much about her future, but right then he knew that she would grow up to follow in her father's footsteps.

* * *

At the funeral feast that was held at the small and very old town-hall, he ran into Vera. The two were friends, neither would deny that, but neither of them could shake a certain feeling of uneasiness around each other. Ever since they had turned eighteen, there were awkward silences and uncomfortable looks to the ground between them. Linus' best friend, Callahan "Cal" O'Hara, used to tease that they had the hots for each other, which Linus and Vera denied unanimously whenever Cal brought it up.

"Good to see you", Vera said, and Linus thought that for once she might actually mean it.

"Yeah. You, too." He felt a breath escape his lungs that he didn't know he had held.

"Why do people cook so much food for funerals?"

They both let their eyes roam the banquet the villagers had produced, arranging a quantity of dishes on the tables that had been moved to the wall.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Vera gave a sad chuckle. "Probably to stuff yourself until the nausea masks the dull ache in your chest. Which is too bad for me, because I feel like I won't be eating for days."

Linus looked at her face, staring blankly at the pots and plates laden with delicious food.

"I know what you mean. Everything's lost its appeal. Food, sleep. I haven't touched the bat since… since…", he replied, not able to finish the sentence. Vera looked back at his tormented face.

"Since Monday", she helped. Linus gave her a thankful smile and nodded.

"Yeah. It's just not the same without him."

They were both startled by sudden pats of big hands on their shoulders. Cal had shoved between them, throwing his arms around them.

"Who wants to get drunk and cry their eyes out?"


	3. Chapter 2: Planning for the future

**Chapter 2: Planning for the future**

- Vera -

"What are you going to do now?"

Her question hung in the air like the smoke from their cigarettes. Neither of them smoked regularly, but Cal had brought a pack along with the bottle of tequila. For some reason it felt right to just sit there staring into the night, take a sip now and then and let their breath roll over their lips in blue, dissolving fumes.

Another one of Cal's snores seemed to bring Linus back to the moment. He shrugged and flicked away the ash from his cigarette.

"I don't know. The same as before, I suppose. Go pro."

Vera gave a light laugh. "You still want to be a baseball player? That's what you said in kindergarten."

He did not reply and she took a moment to study his stern face, wondering if he might be offended by her laugh. She knew that with a sensitive guy like Linus that might easily be the case, even if his pride would not let him admit it.

"Well, if it is what makes you happy, I'll say go for it", she added a little more diplomatically and stubbed out her cigarette on the ground.

Linus shrugged again. "I can always enrol at ICU* if it doesn't work out."

One of the many silences between them ensued, but they were both too exhausted to care about it. In fact, it felt rather pleasant to just listen to the crickets chirping away and feel the light breeze sweep across the fields, with the moonlight reflected on the rooftops of the village in the valley below.

Linus broke the silence once more. "How about you? Are you and Charlie going to take over the lab – or what's left of it?"

Vera did not answer. Her eyes found the remains of the laboratory. The gaping holes had been covered with plastic sheets and the debris had been cleared away, but the destruction caused by the two giant rocks was still plain to see. The meteorites had been dispatched to the State Office for Geology in Azul City for further investigation. Nothing remained but the emptiness in the dark laboratory, an emptiness she felt like a physical pain in her chest. Before she knew it, she was already crying.

* * *

- Callahan -

Pain. Dull and vague, but seemingly endless pain engulfed him like a black abyss. His eyes hurt from the light that was finding its way through his eyelids, his skin felt sore and he could not find a position in which he did not feel nauseous. Not that he moved much, since movement induced only more pain in his experience.

From downstairs he heard several loud knocks on the front door and he instantly put is pillow on his head to shield his sensitive ears. His mother would open. He would drift off again, sleep the hangover away and then rise and shine like the evening star. Or so he had hoped, but his mother never answered the door, which he only realized when the knocking started again. When it didn't stop he got up with a groan and dragged himself down the stairs.

"Jesus, Charlie", he moaned when the bright light hit his eyes. He left his guest at the door and let himself fall on the living room couch instead, never caring for the professor's assistant standing in the doorway.

Charlie's friendly voice called over to him. "Your mom not home?"

"Doesn't look like it, does it?" Cal was not in the mood for talking – or listening, for that matter – and he did not care to hide it, either. "Can you come back another time, Charlie? I went a little overboard with the tequila last night."

Charlie laughed sympathetically. "Oh, I know."

Cal lifted his head from the cushions. "I don't even remember you being there. Did I do anything stupid?"

Charlie gave another laugh. "No, you're fine. You weren't doing much anymore when I arrived; we just had to get your drunk butt home. But that's what a Machoke is for, right?"

Cal started to shake his head but stopped immediately. "No, it's not. But I appreciate it, tell him thanks. It would be nice though if you could leave now, my head is trying to kill me from within. I'll be sociable again tomorrow."

With that he put his head back on the pillows, but Charlie had no intention of leaving him alone just yet. "Listen, Cal, there's a reason I'm here. Today is the opening of Sebastian's will."

This caught Cal's attention. He sat up and rubbed his aching face. "Oh, well, that's good, isn't it? It all goes to Anna, I guess. Not that she can do much with it yet."

He let his hand fall in his lap again and looked at Charlie, who was standing across the living room and watching him silently.

"So what? Why are you telling me, Charlie? What do I have to do with the professor's will?"

The assistant cleared his throat and looked back sternly. "He left something to you."

* * *

* Iro County University


	4. Chapter 3: Rouche Harbor

**Chapter 3: Rouche Harbor**

- Linus -

He was standing in front of the town-hall and waiting for Cal and Vera to come out, boxes in their hands like the one he was holding. The notary had specified each item he had taken out of the box and put back in, checking them off on his list. Linus had been asked if he accepted the bequest and had to sign his name on the bottom of the list. The notary had dismissed him and Linus had gone back to the lobby, where his friends' heads had flown up.

"What did he leave you?"

Linus had looked at them with a vacant expression on his face and had shaken his head. "You're up, Cal."

His friend had gotten up slowly, ever complaining about his headache. Vera had patted the seat next to her. "Come on."

He had shaken his head again. "No, I can't look just yet. I need a minute. Let me – I'll just wait outside for you guys."

* * *

Outside he was blinded by rays of sunshine. The valley lay illuminated as if it was some holy place, sheltered by the surrounding hills and Amarillo Mountain in the North. He gazed at the blue shape in the distance and felt an unfamiliar pull. He wondered if this was the feeling the professor had spoken of when they had sat in the laboratory late at night.

Linus sighed deeply and let his gaze drop to the contents of his box. There they were: the things the professor had intended for him to have. The things he didn't want. A Pokédex to register the Pokémon he met on his travels. A sealed set of Pokéballs to catch the ones he wanted to take with him. The professor's old travel bag to tuck both into.

He felt like two antagonizing forces were pulling at him. He couldn't bear to throw these belongings away or let them collect dust in the garage, but he couldn't bring himself to just pack up his life and leave behind his friends and family to have an adventure with an outcome he couldn't be sure about. He couldn't give up on his dream to be an athlete just yet, as improbable as it was.

* * *

- Callahan -

They had gone to the same spot they had sat in the night before, this time overlooking the valley and the fields not in the moonshine but aglow with golden light from the sun.

"I can't believe he actually thought of me", Cal said. He was lying on the grass, his arms folded behind his head, the box right next to him.

"Why not? He always said he liked you", Vera replied. "And who wouldn't? You're such a cutie." Cal laughed and rolled over when she teasingly poked him in the side.

"Stop it, you. I just always thought our sullen statue over there was his favourite." He nodded at Linus, who was sitting the way Vera had the night before, his arms wrapped tightly around his bent legs, staring absentmindedly into the distance. Vera turned from Cal to address their silent friend. "What do you say, Linus? Cal thinks you were Carob's favourite."

He turned his head, but only looked at Vera. "Wasn't that clearly you?"

His voice was calm and neutral, but Cal thought there was some kind of undertone he couldn't quite place. The feeling was only reinforced by the silence that followed, during which his friends stared at each other mutely. A minute passed and finally Cal couldn't bear their silent power play anymore.

"Listen up, guys. It's almost a socially acceptable hour to be drinking, and my head is starting to feel normal again. I say we hit Rouche Harbor. I'll call Freddy and tell him that you two are crashing at our place tonight."

Linus' and Vera's heads turned in unison and both opened their mouths to protest, but Cal had already gotten up and raised his index finger. "No excuses. Tonight we are doing what we failed to do yesterday: reminisce properly. Come to terms with this. Make future plans. I am not letting either of you chicken out, so you can take your poor excuses and shove them up your…"

Vera interrupted him vehemently. "Alright! I'm going. Just let me pack some things, will you?"

Cal grinned with apparent satisfaction. "I knew you would come to your senses. I'll pick you up at six. No, don't argue with me, Vera. It's a three-hour drive. We're leaving at six."

They both started to head down the hill, but Linus remained sitting in the grass. When Cal turned to look at him, he was staring back surly.

"I know what you're going to say", Cal claimed and imitated his friend's irritated voice. "'I didn't say I would go.' Well, tough luck, sourpuss. I'll be outside your house at six and honk as long as it takes for you to get in the car. And if your parents come out to complain, I'll tell them what a thankless little bitch you are. Are we clear?"

Cal saw how taken aback his friend was by his onslaught, but he didn't grant him the smile he felt coming on just yet. For Linus' sake he would have to be strict for once.

His friend nodded slowly. "Yeah, six pm. Got it."

Cal and Vera held in their laughter until they were sure to be out of hearing distance.

* * *

- Linus -

After stowing away their bags they met back in Cal's and Freddy's living room, which looked like it had been shaken by an earthquake. Everything from clothes over game controllers to pizza boxes and dishes was strewn all over the place.

"You guys should clean up once in a while", Vera remarked, raising one of her eyebrows.

Cal grinned defiantly. "For somebody I just gave my room and bed to you're awfully thankless, young lady."

Vera held up her hands conciliatorily. "Alright, alright. Just lead us to this magical bar you spoke of."

Her friend's grin widened as he shook his index finger. "Oh no, not yet. There's some predrinking to do. Freddy, my chief officer, are the drinks ready to be served?"

Freddy appeared in the kitchen doorway with a small silver tablet. On it were shot glasses containing a clear liquid. "Yes, sir. We're ready for intoxication."

Linus shook his head vehemently. "I'm not. I can't be drinking again, I'm too old to do this two nights in a row. I can't – oh well." He stopped when he saw the devilish expression on Cal's and Freddy's faces and decided that it would be much more painless if he didn't struggle.

"Good boy", said Cal.

* * *

Several hours – and drinks – later, they were still sitting on the floor in the apartment. As Linus had predicted after the first drink, they had never made it out. Instead, they had gotten to talking. They had reminisced properly, as Cal had ordered, but they had also listened. Vera and Linus found themselves eager to hear about Cal's and Freddy's studies at ICU, where they had met. Cal, as they already knew, studied Breeding and Rearing of Pokémon. He attended several courses with Freddy, who was majoring in Pokémon Psychology.

"They are totally unique, you know? They're just like people in that way", Freddy was telling Vera, who was hanging on his every word with glistening eyes.

"I know! That was basically the take-home message of every study we conducted. Professor Carob did this one experiment where…"

"Carob? I think we just had to read an article by a guy named Carob", Freddy interrupted her. "On the other hand, I think there's a significant number of Pokémon scientists named after trees, but maybe that's just me."

They laughed and Linus noticed that he couldn't help watching them. He didn't want to, he didn't even think the topic they were discussing was that interesting, but for some reason he had done exactly that for the biggest part of the night. He felt Cal's hand on his shoulder.

"Dude, you either have to tell her or to let this go."

He looked at his friend's sympathetic expression and realized that he couldn't stand it. He hoped it was only the alcohol in his bloodstream riling him up.

"Tell her what?"

Cal smiled knowingly. "You know, that you like her. I mean, I've known for years, but maybe you just needed time to get it."

Linus shook his head. "That's not it, Cal. There's something that you don't know. No, don't ask me, I can't tell you. I'm not even sure about it myself. It's just… I don't feel like she and I are friends anymore. Maybe we never were."

Cal shrugged and took a sip of his beer. "Well, whatever it is, you'll have to talk about it at some point."


	5. Chapter 4: Legacy

**Chapter 4: Legacy**

- Vera -

"Story! Story! Story!"

The little girl's voice was filled with so much rapture it put a smile on Vera's face, even after an exhausting day.

"Shh, you're far too loud and far too wild to listen", Vera replied reproachfully.

Anna adapted immediately. "It's okay, I can be sleepy", she promised and climbed into her bed as if to prove it.

Vera cocked an eyebrow at her. "You sure? You know, when I'm sleepy, I tuck myself in."

Anna tugged eagerly at the blanket and looked back at her babysitter to see if she was satisfied.

"See? Can we read Harry Potter now? Please?"

The older girl nodded generously. "Alright. Do you remember the chapter we were on?"

As if on schedule, Anna started shouting again in her delight.

"Shh, shh! Anna, settle down", Vera ordered.

The little girl looked at her wide-eyed until the babysitter smiled again. "Sorry, sorry, sorry", she whispered.

"I'm not mad, sweetie. Just be a little quieter, that's all."

Anna beckoned her over and sat up to whisper in her ear as if she was telling her a secret. "Chapter eight. Harry just learned how to defeat a boggart."

* * *

"'Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black'", Vera ended the chapter. The little girl across from her was already breathing heavily. She closed the book quietly, held it in her hands and watched Anna's chest rise and fall. Sometimes she took the time just to watch the little girl sleep. She always felt calm when she left her like this, knowing she was safe and well.

"Well read."

The whisper startled her so much she let the book fall to the ground with a thud. Her head shot up to see the professor lean against the doorframe.

"Don't scare me like that", she whispered and got up to take the book and put it back onto the shelf.

"I didn't mean to", Carob said, but the twinkle in his eyes told a different story. Before she could voice her doubts about his sincerity he changed the subject. "Did you have a good time today?"

"Yeah, we saw pretty much everything there was to see. She was much more interested in the Pokémon than in the animals though. She's like you in that way."

Carob returned her smile. "And like you."

"I would rather have worked on the Spearow trial today", Vera confessed.

"I know. And I would've liked to have you there, but sometimes I need a babysitter more than an assistant. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate the work you do in the lab, Vera."

She nodded sadly and walked past him to the front door.

"Where are you going?"

She turned around to see the professor walk into the living room and return with documents in his hands and a big smile on his face. "Today was our last trial. We made it. Don't you want to see the numbers?"

* * *

"What is that folder? What's in there? Vera?"

The sound of Cal's persistent voice jolted her out of her memory. Freddy had wanted to know what the professor had left his protégés and they had started unpacking their boxes. Yet as soon as Vera had opened the white folder, she had been absent.

"It's… a collection of reports. Descriptions and results of the studies he conducted, basically."

Cal raised an eyebrow. "But you only started as his assistant, like, three years ago. How could he have-"

"He updated his will annually, if there was something to update", Vera explained and earned surprised looks from her friends.

Freddy weighed in from the background. "Am I the only one who thinks that's strange? How old was he again?"

Vera shook her head. "He told me he did it because of his wife. He said that once you know how short life can be, nothing can take your mind off of that thought."

* * *

- Linus -

Hitting Rouche Harbor had turned out to be a sad, solemn business. Linus didn't mind, he had not felt like a celebration anyway. Vera had been absorbed in her thoughts ever since they had started taking out the items the professor had left them. Cal and Freddy were browsing the books on Pokémon breeding that Carob had given him.

But Linus didn't feel like unpacking gifts. He didn't even want to touch the brown cardboard box. He already knew what was inside, and he didn't feel ready to deal with the mixed emotions that would assail him. Gratitude and anger were hard to reconcile.

"Guys, do you mind if we call it a day? I'd like to set up my bed, and you're sitting on it."

Cal and Freddy, who were lounging on the couch, looked up from Cal's books. His friend eyed him warily.

"You're tired already? We haven't even looked at your box."

Linus shook his head. "And I'd appreciate it if we didn't. I just want to go to bed."

Cal nudged Vera with his foot. "Hey, convince our whiney friend here to show off his gifts. I'll feel bad about mine if he doesn't."

Vera looked up from the pages she had been reading. "Just get it over with, Linus. You can acknowledge whatever he has left you and still be miserable."

With that, she grabbed his box and pulled it into the middle. Cal and Freddy leaned forward to see what she was taking out. The first object was a Pokédex which looked exactly like Vera's and Cal's, who smiled in unison. The second was the set of ready-to-catch Pokéballs, which Cal weighed in his hands to try to guess the exact amount, while Freddy just opened the box and counted ten. On the bottom of the cardboard box lay the grey, patched travel bag Carob had used during his journey through the country. Vera took it out of the box with Linus watching. She felt the worn material in her hands and opened the silver buckle carefully to look inside.

"Guys…", she exclaimed in mild wonder. Even Linus leaned forward to get a better look of her reaching in and pulling her out hand with a round, red-white Pokéball in it.


	6. Chapter 5: Gift horse

**Chapter 5: Gift horse**

- Vera -

"What am I supposed to cover myself with?"

If it was possible, Linus was even grumpier than before. His brow was constantly furrowed and the corners of his mouth seemed to have surrendered to gravity.

Cal looked the burnt blanket over. "Do you mind a few holes?"

When Linus didn't answer, their host stopped joking for a moment. "Oh well, you can have mine. I know you think it's my fault, so."

Linus was obviously outraged. "It _is_ your fault! You had to open that damned ball!"

"Don't tell me you weren't curious, too."

"I wasn't. I wanted to go to sleep."

"No you didn't. You were just pissed because the professor didn't respect your stupid wishes."

"Don't tell me how I feel."

"Well, it's obvious how you feel."

"It's obvious you're either an arsonist or a moron."

"Like I planned this!"

"Like you ever plan anything! You just do things and everyone else has to live with whatever harm you cause."

Linus had gotten up from his chair and Cal had dropped the blanket. They were facing each other with clenched fists and red faces. Freddy glanced at Vera, who nodded slightly. Both got up as well and put their hands on their friends' shoulders.

"Cal, we know this was a mistake, you're not to blame. Freddy and I were just as curious as you."

Cal turned his head to face her. "Tell him that!"

Vera didn't reply. Instead, she addressed the other boy.

"And Linus, I know this hasn't really gone as planned. It's not what you wanted and I get it, but that doesn't mean that you need to change your life or your future. You decide what you'll do, and there's no need to feel bad about your decision. He's not here anymore to judge it, anyway."

Linus stopped glaring at Cal and turned his head slowly. Vera thought she might have seen tears in his eyes, but he blinked them away. He sighed, then he nodded quietly and looked back at his friend.

"Listen, man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm just exhausted. Let's just sleep it off, and tomorrow I'll be the old me."

Cal flashed a smile. "No worries. And I'm sorry I nearly torched the place."

* * *

Vera had thought that after all the excitement of the evening she would drift off to sleep immediately, but she found herself lying awake. Her mind kept jumping between the night's events and the memories the white folder had brought up. She had read the report on the Spearow experiment again and before she could stop them, the images had flashed through her head.

Carob had handed her the documents and vanished into the kitchen again where he created a loud popping noise, only to reappear with an open bottle of champagne in one hand and three glasses in the other.

"I thought we'd celebrate", he had said, a big smile spreading on his face when he saw Vera studying the papers wide-eyed.

"This is incredible. Not only does it show significant differences between males and females, but between individuals. Have you shared this yet?"

The professor had laughed. "It's good to see how invested you are. If Anna grows up to be only half as interested in Pokémon as you are, I can die a happy man. But to answer your question: no, I haven't published it yet. The last of these numbers where only gathered today, so I'll still have to write most of the report."

He had seen that she was thinking and handed her one of the glasses. "Yes, you can help me with that. You'll get some experience on the writing, since that's going to be a big part of the fun."

He had poured her and then himself some of the champagne and glanced at the clock.

"Charlie said he'd be here. How about we relocate our celebration to the lab?"

Vera had shrugged. "I don't mind. It's as much underage drinking in the lab as it is here."

He had returned her mischievous grin and chinked their glasses cheerfully.

* * *

A noise from the living room brought her back to reality. She blinked in the darkness and listened for more, but only silence ensued. Vera threw back her blanket, got out of bed and made her way to the living room barefooted.

When she flicked on the lights, she saw Cal kneeling on the ground. He got up and turned in one fast, fluid motion.

"Turn the light off!"

She did as she was told, even though she didn't understand why. She walked closer to her friend, who seemed to be kneeling by the couch again.

"What are you doing?"

Cal's voice was a low whisper. "I'm looking for the bag – no, got it. Come outside with me."

Outside wasn't far, since the apartment was on ground level. Vera stepped behind Cal into the cool, fresh night air.

"Tell me what you were doing again?"

In the faint light of the street lamps she saw his face. He looked tense, not at all calm and laid-back like usually.

"I needed the travel bag, but I didn't want to wake up Linus, so I had to look for it in the dark."

Vera slapped her forehead. "I forgot that he was sleeping on the couch. Well, he didn't wake up, so it's fine, I guess. What did you want with the travel bag, exactly? Set something else on fire?"

Vera felt slightly worried that Cal didn't laugh. She wondered if she might have offended him.

"Cal, I'm just joking. You know that, right? You couldn't know about the Ponyta in the ball, neither of us could."

He nodded, but his lips didn't curl up into the smile she was used to. "I wanted to see her again. I know it was all hectic with the fire and stuff, but she was so beautiful. I just wanted to look at her once more, before Linus gives her to Anna or some shelter."

He reached his hand into the bag, and suddenly the expectation on his face turned into wonder.

"Vera?"

"What is it?"

"Earlier when you looked into the bag – did you feel more than one Pokéball?"

Her eyes widened. "No, I did not. Are you telling me-"

He handed her a Pokéball and reached in again to take out the next, which he gave her as well, and then repeated the motion once more. He held the bag open and used the light of the street lamps to peer in.

"Well, that's all. How about that, Vera? It's three, not one. He gave Linus three Pokémon."


	7. Chapter 6: A twist of fate

**Chapter 6: A twist of fate**

- Linus -

He awoke when somebody bumped against the couch with a thud and moaned in pain.

"Damn it," whispered Freddy and was about to disappear again, when Linus reached out and grabbed his arm. Freddy jumped away with a start.

"Linus! Dude, don't scare me like that. It feels like I just smashed my kneecap, I can't take a heart attack, too."

"Sorry. What's going on?"

Linus saw Freddy make a gesture in the dark and guessed that he had pointed at the door.

"I heard something outside, barking or growling or something. I'm not sure."

Linus got up and followed his host to the door. When they opened it, the noise was unmistakeable. A low, threatening growl echoed from the houses across the street. On the sidewalk stood Vera and Cal. The former seemed to be holding something against her chest; the latter had his arms spread as if to calm somebody – or something – down.

Behind Cal Linus finally saw the source of the noise. It was a kind of dog with orange fur. At least it seemed to be orange; in the light of the street lamps anything appeared to be. The dog did not pay attention to Cal, who was trying to calm it down by talking friendly and soothingly. Instead, it was watching Vera, or whatever Vera was holding tightly with both hands.

"What are you doing?"

Linus' question wasn't answered. He wasn't even sure if his friends had heard him, since the strange dog started to bark again. Linus' head spun around when the barking was answered by an even stranger sound. A kind of high-pitched wincing came from whatever Vera was holding. Linus took a few steps in her direction to see another animal with seemingly orange fur. Its little paws clutched Vera's arm tightly and horror was written all over the little pointed face.

"Catch it!" Vera yelled, but Cal was too busy keeping the other creature at bay.

Linus stood where he was and watched the whole scene in confusion. Catch the dog with what? What was the little creature she held?

Freddy was the one to react. He leapt and snatched something from the ground. Linus couldn't see what it was, but he immediately understood Freddy's movement. It was a motion he had seen many times before – the swift, powerful throw of a baseball. But this wasn't a baseball. Freddy had thrown a Pokéball at the dog, which now opened in mid-air and emitted a red beam of light that briefly covered the creature in red. With a flash it vanished in the light. The ball closed and gave in to gravity again, falling to the ground with a thud. It rolled to one side, then to the other, as if something inside was moving. Linus saw another red glow, and then all movement and sound had stopped.

Cal sighed in relief and dropped his arms as Freddy went to collect the Pokéball.

"What was that?"

Finally his friends had heard him and turned around. Linus was surprised to see guilt on their faces.

"Listen, Linus. Don't be angry," Cal said and his voice had the same soothing tone he had used with the dog.

"Tell me and we'll see if I'll be angry."

* * *

- Vera –

She wasn't sure whether it was a good sign that Linus was neither frowning nor smiling. He just sat there, his hands folded under his chin, gazing intently at the three red-white balls they had placed in the middle of the table.

"So, uh… at least now you know what they are", said Cal in an attempt to break the silence, which settled over the room as soon as he stopped speaking.

Another minute passed during which they all watched Linus, who in turn was still watching the Pokéballs. Suddenly he reached out his hands and picked up the one nearest to him. He weighed it from side to side, studying the simple silver mechanism in the middle that opened and closed the ball. Then he placed it back on the table top, folded his hands above it and looked up at his friends for the first time in what seemed to have been hours.

"I've made up my mind", he began, his voice low and solemn, as if he was giving a speech.

Cal, Vera and Freddy looked back at him in expectation.

"First of all, I'm not mad. Everybody's fine and that's the main thing. And why would I be mad that you took the stuff I didn't want in the first place? I should be happy that there's somebody who wants it, and more so that it's not just anybody. You're my friends, and you can ask anything of me. You never know, maybe you'll get it."

Vera felt her eyes widen in disbelief. "Are you saying-"

Linus nodded. "Yes. You can pick one of the Pokémon, they're yours. You want them and I think you deserve them, and since they are mine to give, I'll give them to you."

Cal and Vera exchanged a look, just to turn their heads back to their friend and shout their picks in unison.

Linus raised his hands pacifyingly. "Relax, they're not going anywhere. Cal, I'm guessing "Ponyta" is the horse that almost set me on fire today? Okay, good. Vera, what was yours?"

"I think it's called Vulpix. It's the little brownish-red fox."

Linus nodded again. "It's yours then. Freddy, if you want, you can have-"

Loud protest from Vera and Cal drowned him out.

"The third one is yours", Vera said.

"The professor wanted you to have it", Cal added.

"I don't really have the time for a Pokémon", Freddy informed.

Linus shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I don't want it either, so I guess you two can toss a coin or something."

Vera shook her head vehemently. "No, Linus, we won't do that. Don't you see what's happening here? The three of us have been friends for as long as I can remember, and now you are presented with three Pokémon. Doesn't this strike you as something of a twist of fate?"

He looked back at her unblinkingly. "No. I think it's pure coincidence."

"I'm not saying it isn't! I'm only saying that it's oddly… convenient."

He didn't reply to that but lowered his gaze to look at the Pokéball under his palms again.

"Linus, let's do this. Vera's nobody's assistant anymore, there's a semester of hands-on work with Pokémon specified in my curriculum, and you're free to go wherever you want to. Let's take these Pokémon and travel together", argued Cal convincingly.

Another silence ensued. Vera thought she could hear the clock in Cal's and Freddy's small kitchen tick.

Finally, Linus hit his flat hand on the table, making them jump in their seats. An almost unfamiliar smile spread from his lips to his eyes.

"Alright, let's do it."


End file.
